jargon /n[y]oo'bee/ (Originally from British public-school
and military slang variant of "new boy") An inexperienced user
is now in wide use. Criteria for being considered a newbie
vary wildly; a person can be called a newbie in one newsgroup
while remaining a respected regular in another. The label
"newbie" is sometimes applied as a serious insult to a person
who has been around
Usenet for a long time but who carefully
hides all evidence of having a clue.
(1998-02-18)